Jonathon Harrington: Why I planted genetically modified maize on my Welsh farm

I find myself accused of a number of heinous acts including "infecting" Wales with GM, acting irresponsibly and possibly of breaking the law. Not bad for a Welsh peasant who simply wishes to try – with the support of the scientific community – to facilitate the introduction of a new and valuable technology into Welsh agriculture.So what is the precise nature of my supposedly "ill-informed", "illegal" and "irresponsible" behaviour? The seeds I planted are maize varieties on the EU's "common list" of approved crops. As such, my legal advice is that it is lawful to plant them within the EU. But according to some of my detractors those rules apparently do not apply in Wales.Then there is the charge that I have "infected Wales with GM". With what I ask? Genetic modification is a process as opposed to a product and as such cannot be bought or sold any more...

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